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Justice News

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Southern District of Texas

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Two Head To Prison For Attempted "Ice" Distribution

McALLEN, Texas – Raymundo Jose Cabrera-Paredes, of Mission, and Estevan Ochoa-Gomez, of Huixtla, Chiapas, Mexico, have been ordered to federal prison for more than 20 years following their involvement in the distribution of crystal methamphetamine from McAllen to Dallas, announced United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson along with along with Javier Peña, special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Cabrera-Paredes, 47, and Ochoa-Gomez, 44, pleaded guilty in January 2013.

Today, U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez, who accepted the guilty pleas, handed Cabrera-Paredes and Ochoa-Gomez respective sentences of 292 and 262 months in federal prison. In handing down the sentence, Judge Alvarez noted their extensive involvement in the narcotics transactions. The court also noted Cabrera-Paredes was involved in two additional narcotics transaction in April and May of 2012 that, respectively, involved crystal methamphetamine and cocaine. Cabrera-Paredes will serve a five-year-term of supervised release. Ochoa-Gomez is expected to face deportation proceedings after he serves his sentence.

On Oct. 16, 2012, Cabrera-Paredes met with an undercover agent and negotiated the transportation of eight kilograms of crystal methamphetamine from McAllen to Dallas. At the time of the meeting, he claimed his associate, Ochoa-Gomez, was wrapping the narcotics for transportation. Two days later, Ochoa-Gomez delivered to the crystal methamphetamine to the undercover agent for delivery to Dallas.

A subsequent analysis of the narcotics revealed the net weight of the crystal methamphetamine was 12.01 kilograms and that the narcotics had purity level of 98.4%. A purity level of greater than 80% qualifies the narcotic as “ice.”

Both will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The investigation was conducted by DEA. Assistant United States Attorney Juan Alanis is prosecuting the case.